Von der Leyen on Mladic funeral: No place in EU for glorification of war criminals

“The glorification of war criminals simply has no place in the European Union,” von der Leyen told members of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, the daily Danas reported.

The European Commission president also noted that the European Union (EU) needs to look beyond its borders, particularly when it comes to the Western Balkans.

She said the accession process “will remain merit-based.”

Nevertheless, she stressed that respect for EU values is “non negotiable,” adding that she was “horrified by the images of Ratko Mladic’s funeral in Belgrade last week.”

“He committed the most atrocious crimes against humanity. The glorification of war criminals simply has no place in the European Union.”

Belgrade has faced a wave of criticism from Brussels over its reaction to the death of the convicted war criminal and the organization of his funeral, which featured state honors.

On Tuesday, the European Parliament held a debate on the matter, which included European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos. During the session, representatives from various political groups in the European Parliament called for a shift in the EU’s stance toward Serbia.

Speaking at the debate, Commissioner Kos maintained that the scenes from Mladic’s funeral do not reflect Serbian society as a whole. She urged authorities in Belgrade to stop using the past as a barrier to the future.